


Heartcalls

by ConscientiousMonster



Series: Blue Rose [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Dark Ezra Bridger, Dathomir, Dathomir altar, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kanan Jarrus is portrayed as a dick, Mentioned Force sensitive Sabine Wren, Seduction to the Dark Side, Seriously adviced against reading if you're a fan of him, The Dark Side of the Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 01:12:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17214251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConscientiousMonster/pseuds/ConscientiousMonster
Summary: The Dark Side calls for Ezra Bridger. Hold on a moment, you're on hold. Buzzz... Buzzz... You are now connected to the Dark Side. Please leave the Light Side by the door.~ ~ ~Kanan doesn't trust Ezra. Maul plants the seed of evil within the boy, and not without a backup plan. They are interrupted the first time, but as days past after the incident, Ezra finds himself unable to fight the darkness within, and comes back looking for an old Master to complete the started transistion.And then they visit an old place.





	1. The First Contact

**Author's Note:**

> Almost every sentence in this fanfic reads as "Kanan Jarrus sucks" so if you like him it is strongly adviced that you don't read this.

Having an ego twice the size of his body wasn't enough to count Kanan Jarrus as a Jedi Knight. But the man was unaware of this.

He thought he knew it all. And when he met a Force sensitive boy, thought taking him as his Padawan would shine light on long forgotten teaching. If only he had learned about them himself. The man had little to no idea what the Dark Side of the Force was itself. And neither had he allowed the boy to learn anything about it, leaving him completely unprepared for the day the Darkness would slip in.

All Ezra Bridger wanted was the power to bring justice, to protect those who could not fight for themselves.

And Kanan wasn't going to give it to him.

"Only a Sith can open the Sith holocron."

Sith were not to be defeated the Jedi way. Never were.

Those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it.

~ ~ ~

"Maul won't hurt me, Kanan. He needs me." How the boy had to beg his Jedi Master for an ounce of trust in his words, "Besides, this could be our only way to find out the key to defeating the Sith."

"Fine. But I do not like this." To trust Ezra with approaching such a dangerous power source? Kanan would never. But he had already thought through how he could use the situation to deal with Maul once and for all.

The boy followed the zabrak into the spaceship. It was only when the backdoor closed behind them, that Ezra let himself take a breath of relief. He acted like he respected Kanan, he had no other choice. Otherwise the ones he called his new family would simply kick him out of the home they gave him. He couldn't go through that again.

Would Maul ever kick him out for a lack of respect? For making his own decisions, even when they're wrong? Would he ever say he told him so, or comfort him?

Guess I'll never find that out - the boy thought, walking through the ship to the cockpit, where the zabrak drove the spaceship in silence, deep in his thoughts.

Maul won't hurt me, Kanan. How unfair it is, the boy had to beg to be trusted. Maul would never intend to hurt Ezra, that was true. It pained him to know there was something to do, that perhaps Ezra won't find quite a pleasing experience.

But the lengths the zabrak was willing to go for the better of the boy knew no bounds.

Ezra had to be saved. Even if by being put in place not so gently. Maul wouldn't loose someone he found himself caring about more, than about his own life.

~ ~ ~

"To complete the ritual, we most both empty our cups."

Reluctantly, Ezra did as the older man guided him to do. He was different from Kanan in that sense. He wouldn't throw Ezra into trouble, with the only guadiance to give being "listen to the Force".

The dark liquid tasted weird. Hot and chilling, and most strangely - soft, as it poured down into Ezra's mouth. All of it was gone in a blink.

Then Ezra wondered why was nothing happening. Something started to tug inside of him. A weird feeling of disharmony, reasonless rage, and then... a swirl of warmth started growing inside of him.

"What was that drink?" The boy stuttered out, as he clutched his stomach, where the hot feelings seemed to dwell.

"Nothing more, than the pure essence of the Dark Side." Replied the calm old Master. He seemed to take it better, despite drinking the same dose.

Ezra's knees gave in, and he collapsed down, still holding his stomach with one hand and clutching the other into a fist.

"I already know what the key to destroying the Sith is. It's not what we came here for." Maul took few steps forward and kneeled before the pained boy, "It's you, Ezra Bridger. You and your chains."

Being taught by his Jedi Master to fear and avoid the Dark Side, Ezra really wasn't doing well with it.

"What-what do you mean..." Emotions boiled within the boy - anger and fear, and something else he couldn't quite name. A strange overwhelming feeling of... power.

"You hold yourself down with the chains your Master Jedi has shared with you. The key to destroying the Sith isn't a Jedi on a distant planet. It's not a Jedi holocron or a different relic. The key to victory is power and experience. And your Master is limiting you to it. Giving you no more power than he finds fit. But I can and will treat you better. Ezra, you need to accept Force as one singular thing - not a two sided coin, of which you can only choose one side."

The Dark Side progressed, Ezra could feel it in his head. The thoughts he would otherwise never let enter his mind.

He dared not voice that he agreed. Kanan wasn't a good person, especially wasn't to him.

Speak of the devil, the two heard a ship land nearby.

Maul turned the boy's face up by the chin, "The Dark Side now flows through you. And you will soon find yourself craving it more. You will know where to find me. Take care." The last words came out in a whisper, as Maul let go and walked away.

He wasn't actually letting go, oh he could never. But right now, Ezra needed freedom of choice. Choice, that was already made for him.

Sabine and Kanan found Ezra collapsed on the ground and curled up. Somehow the Darkness felt hot and cold at the same time.

Boy kept little to no memories of being dragged back to their ship, and sent home.

~ ~ ~

"I told you I'm fine, stop acting like you would know better!" Ezra snatched his hand from Hera's arms, and marched towards his room. Zeb was no longer sharing it with him. According to the Lassat, the room became too cold at nights and too heated at days.

Sabine closed the door to her room. She didn't feel like hearing what Ezra thought of her drawings again.

The boy closed the door behind himself, jumped on his bed, and curled up.

Tears ran down his face. Why did it all feel so wrong? Everything pointed to that Maul wasn't a good person, everyone told Ezra he had to leave him.

Yet the boy hadn't spend a night without crying himself to sleep. The darkness was a stranger that now resided inside of him, and there was only one Force wielder he could seek help from. And the undeniable weird hope that Maul was the only one who could help him wasn't making it feel any better.

Repeating over and over that Ezra should have hated him wasn't helping. Ezra wasn't convincing himself.

The door to his room opened, someone slowly stepped inside.

"Let's go."

Ezra stayed down.

"I said let's go, or do you want to stay in all this sorrow?"

No, he didn't. But the proposal Kanan came to him with wasn't going to help. Meditating it off didn't help. After all, Ezra didn't even feel like getting up at all.

Kanan clenched his fists, before trying to put on a calm voice, "Ezra, it's been few days. It would be wearing off better if you'd payed more attention to the meditation techniques I've been trying to teach you."

Silence was his only reply.

"I should have never trusted you to go there." With that, the Jedi Master left the room.

To go there... Sounded in the boy's mind.

What else did he have left to do?

It was over. He was done crying. He needed Maul. Now he only wanted to throw himself at the older man's mercy, and hope for the best.

~ ~ ~

Dathomir was just like Ezra remembered it being. Only mist and dread of magic in the air, no witches and no warriors around.

The ship he stole to get here was now deactivated. Ezra only hoped nobody would go and try to find him where it began.

He was holding at his stomach tight, as he moved past the junk and candles, to the place Maul called his home.

And to the Altar.

Surprised, Ezra found Maul meditating on the Altar. Light green swirls with dark undertones seemed to come from it. Those harmless flames were... calling. And they had an aura that resonated with Ezra's soul on a whole different level.

Or was it Maul?

The boy made few more steps forward, before the zabrak got up and walked towards him.

There was a lot to be said. Apologies, begging, confessions. Ezra even collapsed down before Maul yet again. But before he could say any self degrading thing, found himself being carefully lifted off the ground, and carried away.

Maul placed Ezra on the Altar without another word. He sat nearby, and placed a hand at Ezra's cheek.

"Poor little one, I thought I would see you sooner."

The boy opened his mouth, not sure if he was about to apologize or protest yet, but found it too hard to make a sound.

The dark swirls around him started to resonate again. He tensed up, as they tried to probe into his sheilds.

"Don't fight it. Give in. Accept the Darkness, it doesn't want to be hurting you, Ezra." To think that after all he had done wrong, Maul would only care to comfort him.

But Ezra was running out of powers to resist it. He only hoped if it was meant to hurt - it wouldn't be worse, that his recent days.

The hand on his cheek switched to pat his head. Then Maul withdrew, sat down in front of the Altar and returned to his meditation.

Something flashed before Ezra's eyes. Visions of his friends, warning him not to trust Maul. Wanting him to stay, while he could have been useful to them.

Then it suddenly hit in.

Maul didn't need Ezra to be useful for him. He just needed Ezra.

The boy's latest days aboard the Ghost only proved it to be true. Rebellion was a place to contribute and share any sort of power people possessed. Only Kanan was keeping what he wanted to himself, instead of giving Ezra what said wanted, unless the boy would satisfy his woe-teacher's ego. Now he only felt bad he hadn't seen it all along.

Ezra gave in. The last barriers around his weakened mind fell, as the Darkness made its way inside.

The boy braced for pain, but all that came was soft warmth and a feeling of serenity. A calmness Ezra hadn't known in ages.

Smiling, Maul raised up from where he stood.

Ezra was ready to lay awake in the bliss his soul had found forever. The boy briefly wondered what caused it. He knew that being open about his feelings wasn't easy, but never imagined that after opening up to the Dark Side things could ever feel so right, so perfect.

The stress was passing. The tiredness of latest days caught up to him, and the soft cradle of Darkness let him rest for the night.

Little did he know, what would happen and where would he wake up next day...


	2. The Reshaping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra readapts to the Force, and revalues his life.

"It all hurts!"

"What hurts, what? Can you put it to words?" The Master asked.

"I can feel everything around and it hurts! It's drowning! Is it what you two have to deal with all the time?"

"This is a normal Jedi experience, Sabine." Kanan sat down, and grabbed his head with his hands. He hardly had any idea of what had happened. When they arrived to Dathomir, he didn't even sense Ezra. He sensed a lot of Darkness, and was terrified to think Ezra was lost somewhere within it. It was as they approached the Altar, that Kanan started sensing a fainting spark of Light Side of the Force.

When they got closer, however... he couldn't describe what happened if he wanted to. There was a big splash of energy directed at the girl on his side, no other word for it.

Then Sabine collapsed in pain. He had to retreat and save her.

And now she had Force sensitivity.

The Master Jedi sensed a sly plan behind this event...

~ ~ ~

Waking up felt like slowly drifting through the warm water to a shore, surrounded by peaceful nature. Ezra sighed, finally the pain of past days was over.

He was still too weak to move around, but found himself comfortably tucked into soft bedsheets and covered with a warm blanket. He didn't feel a need to move either.

Why did the world feel so nice suddenly? With only little worries tingling in the background of his thoughts. Was it a time to feel so safe and peaceful? Or should he not be asking it now, and just go with the flow?

The flow... the Force felt unusual with him.

Before Ezra could put his feelings to words, he got joined in the room.

Something about Maul seemed different to him now. As if he was... closer. More open, even if it was just a little peek through the curtains of the mystery the man was.

The boy didn't even feel a need to scold and tell him off. Didn't feel agression or... anger and fear. They were gone.

"How are you feeling?" Came in a raspy voice.

The boy wasn't ready to talk yet.

"Feeling better?" Ezra nodded. "Good. Now, let's help you up." Maul made Ezra sit up, fixing the cover to still be above his legs.

Then the zabrak sat on the edge of the bed, and brought forth a bowl filled with unknown to Ezra meal.

"You need powers, you spent long time without food."

But I was eating well lately... the boy thought to himself, and then a curious thought visited his mind. Sensing his question, Maul replied ahead:

"You've been asleep for few days."

Few days. What happened during the few days that Ezra slept through? He used to wish he could just fall asleep until his pains were over, but not like this. Where were his friends? Was something broken? Even through the pain, he had to be there. Oh, how he would regret it all now.

Maul picked the spoon and motioned for the boy to open his mouth. Well, fine. Not like Ezra had much else to do. Or other options at all. The boy ate willingly.

What is it, he wondered.

"Those are some edible leaves I found around, once again, soaked in the essence of the Dark." Maul replied to an unspoken question. "Right now your soul is consumed by the madness I usually call home. Don't try to bring light into there. Your old Master never cared to teach you about the Darkness, because he feared it himself like fire. You told me you wanted power. This is what I'm going to give to you. Not the teachings of an old religion, but the power you desired to protect those, whom you hold dear."

Leaves? Bleh, Ezra hated leaves. In tea and in food, and- wait what was that about the Darkness and him?

"Rest now, I will check up on you. If you find yourself visited by the thoughts of reaching out to the Light Side of the Force... I recommend that you don't."

With that he stood up and left with an empty bowl in his hands.

Ezra closed his eyes, sensing he wasn't about to have much control of the situation for a while. What if it was for the best?

~ ~ ~

Following days and nights melted together, there was only time. Time when Maul was in the room with Ezra, and time he wasn't.

Ezra couldn't do much but lay and receive the care from the zabrak. And he didn't complain. For once in his life, Ezra felt safe.

He didn't owe waking up in the middle of the night for an emergency, jumping out of bed and into the battlefield. There was no way he could have disappointed the Master above him. Ezra didn't feel like he would even if he tried.

Maul took care of him. He provided for him, he stood by his side and told him tales of his past, and all he knew about the Dark Side. The Welcoming Darkness, as he called it.

There was never a look of disappointment or a frown upon his face when he looked at Ezra, there was never a negative reaction. Ezra wasn't afraid to ask a stupid question, wasn't afraid of being shut off or shamed.

Ezra felt safe.

~ ~ ~

The only day that differed from the rest was the third evening. Despite the warning, Ezra got curious about his old Master and friends, and tried to reach for their former force bond. But it was on the Light Side of the Force.

The Dark attacked the Light, warded it away, fought it. It was far from a pleasant experience for Ezra.

"I'm so sorry, Master, I should have listened..." The boy stuttered out, all shaking and grabbing on to the curled blanket corner with his hands.

It was then that Ezra yet again learned the difference.

Maul didn't scold him, didn't yell, didn't even look disappointed, but worried. He stayed by the boy's side, the only things he said were words of help. The former Darth helped him ward the light off.

When Ezra finally felt better, although still shaking, Maul settled next to him above the covers, and held him tight through the night. It was the only medicine Ezra needed.

A true sense of security.

 

On the next morning, Ezra dared not ask about his friends again. He made a mental decision the Light Side of the Force was crossed out for him.

~ ~ ~

"This sucks."

"I heard that."

"That's the point." Sabine was not happy with her state, even now when she could finally walk around again. It was hard to concentrate on anything, when she sensed everything around her. She tried to describe it as a constant panic attack state, but Kanan brushed that description off saying this was all Force sensitivity. All the troubles about it - she would make in her head.

"Sabine, for now this will become yours." Kanan reached a familiar device for the troubled girl to take.

"That's Ezra's lightsaber!"

"I know. I want to get him back, but I can't do that alone, and I can't endanger anyone."

"Anyone besides me, huh?"

"You heard me. Until I can sense Ezra again - I will train you. Then, when time comes, you and I will take on Maul together."

"You overestimate the positiveness of my reply."

The young blacksmith girl returned to trying to sketch down her thoughts.

"You have no choice, Sabine."

"I wonder if you gave Ezra the same lack of choice."

Kanan stayed quite. She had him, he did.

~ ~ ~

"Fort Anaxes. That's where I first felt it... When Kanan took me there, we connected with the native animals through the Force. Then, I got cornered, scared, angry..." Ezra brought up his cup to take a sip. Looking back now, a lot more things made sense to him. "The Grand Inquisitor. He wasn't going to kill me, he threatened and scared me so I would connect with the Dark Side."

"He would be proud of you."

"I doubt that... But there. This is how I connected with it for the first time. I don't even remember much of it..."

"Your old Master never prepared you to meet the Darkness, because he never knew it either. Ezra, he was 12, no older, when the order 66 rolled in. All he could have known was to fear the Darkness." The zabrak placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "He didn't care to give you what you want..."

"He just wanted to fill his ego. It wasn't about me, just about him and his memories of Jedi trainings." The boy held the cup tight. Anger, once again. He would let it flow through him. Yes, the emotions that the Jedi forbid. Now Ezra grew to hate the Jedi. For all he knew from them, they wouldn't care about him. They would care about his powers. Just like Jarrus did.

Ezra raised his eyes at Maul. "I want to go there again. I want to connect with them again. But I don't want to drive them to the Light, I want them to show me the Dark."

"Do you think you can handle the road?"

"Yes, Master. This is important."

"Then it will be as you wish, my Apprentice."

Maul showed Ezra the light by guiding him in the dark. The boy no longer feared rejection, now that he grew so distant from those he thought he could call his friends. His new Master showed in every fiber of his being, that he wanted the best for Ezra, and would stay there by his side at all times. He was protected well this time. Ezra feared nothing.

~ ~ ~

"Kanan, Sabine, I worry that it may be too soon, it has been just a week... But I'm tracking our stolen TIE fighter again. Ezra is heading to the fort Anaxes."


	3. The Final Form

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And one final fight to put everything in place.

"I see them!" Shouted the girl, pointing the flashlight at the two figures before them.

Ezra got rid of his old attire, and Maul generously shared a spare, smaller dress he kept around with the boy. Looking like a true Sith Apprentice, the boy sat beside his Master, as the creatures of the dark stood behind them in rows.

"I don't see them..."

"Oh, really, Kanan?"

"No, that's not what I... I can't see Ezra's Force signature. I only see Darkness ahead."

"Well he does looks like he's been listening to too much heavy metal lately..."

During the time it took Kanan to figure out that Ezra was now on the dark side, the Master and his Apprentice raised their hands in sync and pointed at the intruders. The animals behind them growled and leaped into attack.

Kanan barely got to draw out his lightsaber, while Sabine started shooting them off.

"Use your lightsaber!" Kanan commanded.

Ezra twitched, at the voice that had hurt him so much, and at this commanding tone. Why was Kanan trying to tell him what to do?

"I'm not good with it, I had less than a week to even hold it in my arms..." Sabine replied, jumping back and ducking down, when the fyrnocks inched closer.

Sabine's lightsaber? It couldn't be... Ezra leaped up suddenly, and Maul didn't even need to open his eyes to know why. The anger overtook the boy this time.

Maul stood up along his side, and the both drew their lightsabers. Maul has given his double blade to Ezra, and only kept the darksaber, his war trophy, to himself. Ezra only used one side of his weapon so far. The two leaped at the enemy along the fyrnocks.

"They're attacking!" Sabine warned Kanan, before taking her lightsaber out to parry a hard blow landed at her side.

Kanan saw it. This Dark essence that leaped at him - he took out his lightsaber and blocked an attack aimed at his eyes once again.

So, Maul wanted a rematch, here and now, where there was nowhere to fall off anymore? Or was there... Kanan distinctly remembered there was an open edge nearby, he saw Ezra almost fall there so long ago... the boy was so inexperienced with the Dark Side then. But now he welcomed it, despite Kanan's best efforts.

The Jedi pushed the Sith ahead, towards the edge of the platform, and kept advancing. Their fight went on as he led the Sith forth, noting that Maul became more agile and quicker since the last they had fought.

And poor Sabine had to fight Ezra for the duration of their match. But there was nothing to fear, the Master Jedi thought that once he'd dispose of the Sith again - Ezra will be his to manipulate back.

He sensed the edge nearing, and the fight got more intense. Kanan paired every hit and concentrated on self defense, as the rage filled silhouette before him attacked in fury. Then, there was a pause. The figure stilled. Did Maul want to talk? Kanan lowered his defence for a moment, and that was all it took. A hard hit with a leg to his chest sent him flying to the edge himself. The figure above approached him, as Kanan sat up on his knees. He heard the buzzing of a lightsaber somewhere very close to his head. And all he could do was make a noise of annoyance at his defeat.

"Fine. You've won. He's yours." The man tried to bargain for his life. "You've left no light in him anyways, he is not to be a Jedi again. He never was, to be honest, but now it's certain he will never succeed at all."

The figure above stayed silent.

"What else do you want, Maul? My death? For what? I picked him up hoping that I could become a decent teacher. I didn't expect that the seed I chose would be spoiled to begin with. He's yours now. And I have Sabine to try again with. Just let us leave."

There was a strange word that came from the Sith. Or rather, a Sithling. There was a sob.

"He was right..." Ezra stuttered out, fighting back tears. "You used me for your benefit... nothing else."

Kanan's jaw dropped down. He fought and lost to Ezra, not Maul? But how could it be... he never taught Ezra more than he could defeat him with.

"Why?" Ezra asked staring into the mask that hid empty sockets.

"I thought you would make a good Jedi Padawan to me."

"And when did you ever take a moment to ask me what did I want?" Ezra was on the verge of shouting.

Meanwhile, Maul stood victorious above Sabine, now sprawled on the floor, preparing to land the finishing blow to her, when he sensed it: Ezra's distress.

Maul force-pushed her further away, and rushed to the scenery.

"I, kid, look..." Kanan dragged on, trying to win some time. "It was... from my point of view, I thought... I thought if we'd restored the Jedi - we would have more chances..." His arm reached towards his lightsaber, as he tried hard to keep Ezra's attention on his words. He started turning the lightsaber around. There was no other way now.

It was a bit too late when Ezra glanced back at the blue lightsaber he had knocked out of Kanan's hand previously. The man gripped his hand in the air and moved it back quickly. The lightsaber lit up and zoomed towards Ezra, ready to impale.

And then it stopped, inches from the boy's torso. Maul held a tougher grip on the 'saber. He threw his own ahead, the darksaber destroyed the lightsaber, sending the bits and the kristal falling down off the edge, and returned to Maul as a boomerang it was thrown as.

Ezra looked back at Kanan, and for once since he went blind, Kanan could tell exactly what expression was on the boy's face.

He felt it burn through him.

"My Force alignment..." Ezra whispered very quietly, while Maul approached the two, "That's all you lo..." He clenched his fists. "That's all you valued me for. That's all it took for you to try and kill me..."

"Ezra, look, I..." The man became worried, now that he realized he screwed up big time. "You're a Sith, I can't let you-"

"Silence." Maul commanded. But before taking actions, he glanced at Ezra. The boy was in tears, with a heartbreak written on his face. He was burning through Kanan with his look. Trying to see, why was such hatred hidden in the man for him for so long.

Kanan opened his mouth to say something else, but chocked suddenly, distinctly feeling that he got grabbed up by his neck with the force. He tried to grab at the invisible hand.

Maul moved him farther away, letting him hang above the abyss. He looked at Ezra, waiting for one word from the boy to let go.

 

Ezra took a long while to answer, much to Kanan's distress, then finally took a deep breath and shook his head.

He hated Kanan, but he didn't want revenge. He didn't care what was to become of Kanan. He wanted to move on, and feel better, do better, be better than that.

"You're too kind." Maul said, slowly dragging the man towards the solid ground again. "You shouldn't leave the enemy alive in most cases, you never know when they could come back to bite you in the-"

Maul didn't finish. There was a loud bang. Ezra glanced behind in a second, catching Sabine and her pistol with the corner of his eye, then turned back just to see Kanan falling down into the dark of the abyss, since Maul no longer held him. Instead, the zabrak with the bullet hole in his chest collapsed down.

Ezra didn't think, he acted. He threw his lightsaber at Sabine momentarily, making it go right through her heart, then withdrew it back. Sabine fell down, breathless.

Only then did the boy sit down next to his Master, calling him by the name to come back to him. Ezra needed him. He closed his eyes, looking for his Force signature...

And he found it. A wilting flower of a dark shape and colour. Ezra acted quick, he put his best efforts into dragging Maul back to their ship.

~ ~ ~

Maul drifted down, through the endless darkness. He knew it would end someday. His life had turned into awaiting of death long ago, when there was no hope.

But suddenly, there was. There was Ezra, this little Angel that came into his life and filled it with purpose. Even if Maul didn't want to live for himself, he had to live for Ezra. He had faced death before, and came back to the world of living. Now would be no exception.

"My apologies" he whispered into the void, "I'll have to fulfil my deal with you some other day, demon."

The demon that craved his soul postmortem stepped back into the shadows.

Maul stilled, tried to hold onto anything to stop himself from falling into the dark further and further each moment... and then, a blue haired Angel descended down, took him by the hand, and swam back up into the light...

 

Maul coughed, as hit sat up rapidly, looking around. Green. The green swirls of the Altar surrounded the two. Ezra sat next to him, his hands still radiating the healing forces he was just using to pull Maul back up into the world of living.

Once Maul caught his breath, even before he could whisper words of gratitude, Ezra jolted forward and hugged him tight, tears streaming down his face.

"Don't cry. You saved me." Maul was still a little unfamiliar with the concept of safety, but with this boy he let himself believe it existed, for the first time in his life. He hugged the boy back, shielding the small form in his strong arms once again, "Thank you, Ezra Bridger."


End file.
